Study: EU Plan to Ban Toxic Chemicals Proving Ineffective

Facts

• According to a study released on Tuesday, the European Commission's plan to ban up to 7K of the most dangerous chemicals by 2030 is failing badly.¹
• Announced a year ago, the roadmap proposed to ban most harmful flame retardants, along with all bisphenols and non-essential PFAS or 'forever chemicals.'²
• However, a report published by environmental law charity ClientEarth and the European Environmental Bureau found the EU has proposed bans on only 14 chemical groups, just two of which are broad enough to have a significant impact. The remaining 11 cover only a small number of chemicals or their uses, while one is redundant, according to the study.³
• Only five of the 148 bisphenols on the market are facing restrictions. Meanwhile, a possible ban on single-use baby nappies and diapers containing dioxins, furans, formaldehyde, and polychlorinated biphenyls has been withdrawn.¹
• The commission has yet to consider a proposal to ban thousands of widely used PFAS linked to cancer, hormonal dysfunction, weakening of the immune system, and environmental damage.⁴
• An estimated 200K chemicals are used in the EU, with global sales having more than doubled between 2000 and 2017 and expected to double again by 2030. By volume, three-quarters of chemicals produced in Europe are hazardous.⁵

Sources: ¹Guardian, ²EUobserver, ³EEB, ⁴Reuters, and ⁵Euronews.

Narratives

• Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by CEFIC. The EU chemical industry supports the European Green Deal, which aims to transform Europe into a sustainable, carbon-neutral economy by 2050. Chemicals are essential for goods and high-tech materials used in a circular economy, but the industry wants to help make dreams of a green future a reality: It's all about "how."
• Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by iNSnet. This Roadmap's diluted proposals result from a successful lobbying campaign by the chemical industry on European Union officials. They are to blame because these officials are legally obligated to ensure broad and rapid bans, yet they allow and contribute to slow and ineffective regulation.

Predictions